Soft rock also referred to as light rock is a style of rock music that emphasizes on soft tones encompassed with embellishments of pop and folk. This article showcases a detailed perspective of the best soft rock songs.
The roots of soft rock took shape in the 60s when many country bands and bands from the folk movement started experimenting with a sound leaning towards a polished rock ballad infusion. While the lyrical themes in soft rock may differ in accordance with bands, the centrifugal element of soft rock emphasizes on love and relationships. The reason why soft rock songs are popular globally is the melodic approach of songs. When you listen to a soft rock song, you realize the soft undertones lay strong emphasis on vocal harmony and melody.
Majority of soft rock songs have acoustic interludes that give aesthetic structure to lyrical aspects. Slow acoustic guitar picking patterns form the foundation for different types of slow rock songs and soft rock songs. Furthermore the use of piano, synthesizer, and saxophone has become popular in soft rock songs of recent decades.
Melodic guitar solos are extremely popular in soft rock songs. A noteworthy feature in slow rock songs and soft rock songs is the warmth in tone during guitar solos. The guitar solos in soft rock songs erupt with warmth on the high pitched notes. The guitar solos or instrumental parts in soft rock songs are faint and fade away beautifully as the vocal parts come in.
Soft rock gained popularity in the 70s when many radio stations started promoting sentimental ballads. Many musicians that embarked on a solo career in the 70s and 80s made it big with their brand of soft rock. Suddenly, soft rock came into its own. The 70s and 80s were the most important decades for soft rock. Many bands doing their blend of soft rock, folk and pop struck record deals with major recording companies in the 70s and 80s. Many AOR bands of the 80s and 90s peaked music charts with their soft rock ballads. In present times ‘soft rock’ is used as an umbrella term for songs in various rock genres. The term soft rock has become broad based over the years; however, it yet represents all the elements that involve acoustic ballads, sentimental ballads, power ballads, and rock love songs. Soft rock songs have a mesmerizing quality that captivates listeners. Needless to say, soft rock beginnings will never end.
200 Greatest Soft Rock Songs
- Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?- Bryan Adams
- All Out of Love- Air Supply
- New Kid In Town- Eagles
- Lost in Love- Air Supply
- Biggest Part of Me- Ambrosia
- (Everything I Do) I’ll Do It for You
- Best of My Love- Eagles
- Time- The Alan Parsons Project
- How Much I Feel- Ambrosia
- Let’s Make a Night To Remember- Bryan Adams
- Desperado- Eagles
- A Horse With No Name- America
- Tequila Sunrise- Eagles
- Even The Nights Are Better- Air Supply
- You’re The Only Woman (You & I)- Ambrosia
- Please Forgive Me- Bryan Adams
- Tears In Heaven- Eric Clapton
- Peaceful Easy Feeling- Eagles
- If- Bread
- Straight From The Heart- Bryan Adams
- I’m Not In Love- 10cc
- Here I Am- Air Supply
- On and On- Stephen Bishop
- You Can Do Magic- America
- Wonderful Tonight- Eric Clapton
- I Want to Know What Love Is- Foreigner
- Lost Without Your Love- Bread
- Hard to Say I’m Sorry- Chicago
- One of These Nights- Eagles
- Tender Is the Night- Jackson Browne
- Baby I’m-a Want You- Bread
- Colour My World- Chicago
- Daisy Jane- America
- Lonely Is the Night- Air Supply
- If You Leave Me Now- Chicago
- Love Will Keep Us Alive- Eagles
- Waiting for a Girl like You- Foreigner
- It’s All Up to You- Jim Capaldi
- Make It with You- Bread
- Hard Habit to Break- Chicago
- Another Day in Paradise- Phil Collins
- Almost Paradise- Mike Reno and Ann Wilson
- Saturday in the Park- Chicago
- It Might Be You- Stephen Bishop
- Baby, What A Big Surprise- Chicago
- Take it To the Limit- Eagles
- Dreams- Fleetwood Mac
- Make Me Lose Control- Eric Carmen
- Sailing- Christopher Cross
- Walking In Memphis- Marc Cohn
- Up Where We Belong- Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
- Hungry Eyes- Eric Carmen
- Cat’s In the Cradle- Harry Chapin
- Rock Me on The Water- Jackson Browne
- Ride like The Wind- Christopher Cross
- You’re The Inspiration- Chicago
- Everything I Own- Bread
- Faithfully- Journey
- Little Lies- Fleetwood Mac
- Couldn’t Get It Right- Climax Blues Band
- One More Night- Phil Collins
- Think of Laura- Christopher Cross
- Everytime You Go Away- Paul Young
- I Don’t Want To Live Without You- Foreigner
- Fields of Gold- Sting
- Don’t Fall In Love with a Dreamer- Kenny Rogers and Kim Carnes
- Cloud Number 9- Bryan Adams
- Rikki Don’t Lose That Number- Steely Dan
- Against All Odds (Take a Look At Me Now)- Phil Collins
- All by Myself- Eric Carmen
- Separate Lives- Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin
- Bette Davis Eyes- Kim Carnes
- Say You Love Me- Fleetwood Mac
- Sharing the Night Together- Dr Hook & The Medicine Show
- Rings- Cymarron
- The Flame- Cheap Trick
- Big Love- Fleetwood Mac
- Sara- Starship
- Drive- The Cars
- Do It Again- Steely Dan
- Open Arms- Journey
- Kiss You All Over- Exile
- Keep On Loving You- REO Speedwagon
- Throwing It All Away- Genesis
- I Love You- Climax Blues Band
- Missing You- Chris de Burgh
- Drift Away- Dobie Gray
- Baker Street- Gerry Rafferty
- Baby, I Love Your Way- Peter Frampton
- Do You Remember?- Phil Collins
- Don’t Stop- Fleetwood Mac
- I’d Love You to Want Me- Lobo
- Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough- Don Henley and Patty Smyth
- What a Fool Believes- The Doobie Brothers
- Cool Night- Paul Davis- Cool Night
- Fool If You Think It’s Over- Chris Rea
- Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now- Starship
- Hey Nineteen- Steely Dan
- Lonely Boy- Andrew Gold
- Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)- Christopher Cross
- Classic- Adrian Gurvitz
- Don’t Expect Me to Be Your Friend- Lobo
- Never Gonna Fall In Love Again- Eric Carmen
- Will You Still Love Me- Chicago
- Can’t Fight This Feeling Anymore- REO Speedwagon
- Babe- Styx
- Just Remember I Love You- Firefall
- Africa- Toto
- Can We Still Be Friends- Todd Rundgren
- I’m In You- Peter Frampton
- Nikita- Elton John
- In Too Deep- Genesis
- Jessie- Joshua Kadison
- Rosanna- Toto
- Steal Away- Robbie Dupree
- Just the Way You Are- Billy Joel
- Nice To Be With You- Gallery
- Sacrifice- Elton John
- Sentimental Lady- Bob Welch
- Right Here Waiting- Richard Marx
- Auberge- Chris Rea
- Keep the Fire- Kenny Loggins
- I’ll Be Over You- Toto
- Something about the Way You Look Tonight- Elton John
- I’d Really Love to See You Tonight- England Dan & John Ford Coley
- Sweet Caroline- Neil Diamond
- More than Words- Extreme
- I wonder Why- Curtis Stigers
- Reminiscing- Little River Band
- Only One Woman- The Marbles
- Honesty- Billy Joel
- Summer Breeze- Seals & Croft
- Bird of Paradise- Snowy White
- Dust in the Wind- Kansas
- My Angel Baby- Toby Beau
- Nights Are Forever Without You- England Dan & John Ford Coley
- Precious and Few- Climax
- Hold On My Heart- Genesis
- Please Come To Boston- Dave Loggins
- Longer- Dan Fogelberg
- In The House of Stone and Light- Martin Page
- Piano Man- Billy Joel
- Hearts- Marty Balin
- I Won’t Hold You Back- Toto
- Lay Back In the Arms of Someone- Smokie
- Fallin’ In Love- Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
- The Lady in Red- Chris de Burgh
- Take It Easy On Me- Little River Band
- I Just Wanna Stop- Gino Vannelli
- Have I Told You Lately- Rod Stewart
- Your Body Is a Wonderland- John Mayer
- Sad Eyes- Robert John
- Sometimes When We Touch- Dan Hill
- She’s Always a Woman- Billy Joel
- You Are the Woman- Firefall
- A Little Bit More- Dr Hook & The Medicine Show
- She Did It- Eric Carmen
- Wild World- Cat Stevens
- Now and Forever- Richard Marx
- Living Inside Myself- Gino Vannelli
- Weather with You- Crowded House
- The Best of Times- Styx
- If You Think You Know How to Love Me- Smokie
- Tee End of Innocence- Don Henley
- She’s got a Way- Billy Joel
- Gravity- John Mayer
- Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word- Elton John
- The Actor- Michael Learns To Rock
- Maggie May- Rod Stewart
- Dream Weaver- Garry Wright
- Not Enough Love in The World- Don Henley
- Magnet and Steel- Walter Egan
- It’s A Heartache- Bonnie Tyler
- Moonlight Feels Right- Starbuck
- Love Takes Time- Orleans
- Candle in the Wind- Elton John
- Foolish Heart- Steve Perry
- Key Largo- Bertie Higgins
- With Your Love- Jefferson Starship
- In The Air Tonight- Phil Collins
- Hurts To Be In Love- Gino Vannelli
- Dennis DeYoung- Call Me
- Avalon- Roxy Music
- It Never Rains In Southern California- Albert Hammond
- Follow You Follow Me- Genesis
- Black Water- Doobie Brothers
- Kayleigh- Marillion
- All I see Is Your Face- Dan Hill
- Lotta Love- Nicolette Larson
- Who You Love- John Mayer
- Paint My Love- Michael Learns To Rock
- It’s Sad to Belong- England Dan & John Ford Coley
- The One You Love- Glen Frey
- Miracles- Jefferson Starship
- The Heart of the Matter- Don Henley
- Don’t Let It End- Styx
- One on One- Hall & Oates
- Run For the Roses- Dan Fogelberg
- Baby Come Back- Player
- Why Not Me- Fred Knoblock
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